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Horses
The program began in earnest with the purchase of King of Clubs (0080625 King-P234 – Betty H, by King) and five mares in 1970. This stallion had been shown successfully in halter and performance when owned by August Busch of St. Louis, Mo. Unfortunately, the stallion had become sterile before the Creek breeding program began to accelerate. For several years horses produced at Creek were used primarily for working cattle, trail riding and other plantation chores.
Through the years the equine program grew slowly, with emphasis on performance, disposition, and conformation in foundation bloodlines. During the middle ‘70’s, a large-scale breeding program was planned and developed with a definite focus on the production of cutting horses. The basic plan was to assemble outstanding mares from three foundation families or sire lines – King (0000234), Old Sorrel (0000209) and Leo (0001335). These mares would then be outcrossed on the Doc Bar (0076136) bloodline. It was determined that stallions from each family would be obtained to allow production of the line-bred foundation breeding stock within each family.
In the mid-1970s, Billy Morris became interested in the sport of cutting, and was instrumental in founding the Augusta Futurity. Morris has maintained a consistent interest in cutting horses, and Creek Plantation has been fortunate to have had the services and help of outstanding trainers, among them Larry Reeder, Bill Riddle, David Stewart, and Phil Rapp. Creek’s breeding program has produced numerous NCHA winners, including Splash of Gin (3388303), Wheeling Peppy (1624705), Miss Smooth Splash (4089935), Judge Tanquery (2594696), Shes Pretty Smooth (3009881), Gincoe (2593245) and others.
The 80s were an exciting time in the industry. In the 1980s was the Smart Little Lena, Shorty Lena, Fancy Doc, Wheeling Peppy and Tanquery Gin era and lasted through the 2000s.
During this time the Old Sorrel bloodline was represented in many Creek broodmares including 15 fillies purchased directly from King Ranch. The ranch also had daughters of many of the best proven stallions in the performance world including Poco Bueno, Rey Jay, Sugar Bars, Leo, Leo San, Captain Joker, Captain Jess, Mr San Peppy, King of Clubs, Down Town King, Okie Leo, Poco Pine, War Leo, Doc O’Lena, Continental King, El Ray Rojo, Mentirosa, Mendigo, El Alejos, Hankins Bars, Harlan and others to round out the program. The following stallions were also added to the stallion roster –
• EL POBRE (0628700) (Mendigo – Anita Chica, by Rey Del Rancho), we leased this proven stallion to further strengthen this family.
• BRINKS HICKORY JOE (1561532) (Doc’s Hickory – Uno Dixie, by Jose Uno), was purchased in partnership with Larry and Ellen Reeder of Stephenville, Texas, in 1982. This great son of Doc’s Hickory was a consistent winner in the age-limited cutting competition in 1983, earning more than $100,000 in purses. He was a finalist in the Atlantic Coast Futurity, the Gold & Silver Stakes, and the Super Stakes. Despite his heavy show schedule, the stallion was bred to about 40 mares in 1983. Tragically, this great young stallion died of complications following abdominal surgery in December 1983.
• ONE GUN (0938230, Mr Gun Smoke – Miss Seventy One, by King Command), perhaps the most outstanding son of the renowned Mr Gun Smoke, entered the stud program at Creek Plantation in 1983. One Gun was a finalist in the NCHA Derby, AQHA Reserve World Champion Junior Cutting Horse, and the earner of the NCHA Bronze Award. His first foal crops have included Mr Shotgun Willie ACCHA Finalist; One A Chick East Coast Futurity Champion; other cutting champions.
In 1984 Creek Plantation became a shareholder in Smart Little Lena and after a brief lease, Morris purchased TANQUERY GIN, bred and raised by iconic Texas horseman B.F. Phillips. The impact this stallion has had on the both the performance and ranch horse bloodlines is felt still today. He sired the earners of more than $2.3 million, but he may be better known as a great broodmare sire with daughter producing in excess of $3 Million. His impact as a ranch horse sire no doubt grew when he was purchased by the Four Sixes Ranch in Guthrie, Texas, in 1996 and two years later he sired SIXES PICK, AQHA’s first World Champion Versatility Ranch Horse. From 1987 to 1988 SHORTY LENA (1280370) stood to the public from Creek Plantation. Some of Creek’s most prolific money earners were sired by SHORTY LENA including Doc Solena (2720539), Short Nip Nap (2720537) and Dog Town Shorty (2752536).
Our first production sale was held on October 30, 1982. It marked the beginning of the marketing phase of Creek Plantation breeding program. In this sale fifty yearlings and two-year-olds were sold, becoming the initial offering of Creek Plantation horses. Nine more production sales have been held since this time.
Throughout the 2000’s we have: Gists Fifty King (4705461) (Gists High King – Miss Fifty King, by Cow Bo Country) who goes back to foundation Creek Plantation King bred mares through Amy Girl 75 (1141504) and Miss Cow King (0930645) as well as foundation King sires King Of Clubs (0080625) and Country Royal (1293541); Wagon Stake (3730877) (Tanquery Gin – Black Brim, by Peppy San Badger), Splash Of Gin (3388303) (Tanquery Gin – Mario San Badger, by Peppy San Badger) who goes back to one of the original Old Sorrel (0000209) bred filles we purchased from King Ranch in 1978 Mario Del Rey (1404176); Hes Playingforkeeps (3778230) (Playgun – Berrie Freckles, by Colonel Freckles) were the stallions that continued our program.
More recently we have added Boon Too Suen (4804808) (Peptoboonsmal – Meradas Little Sue, by Freckles Merada), Cattalou (5424256) (High Brow Cat – Louella Again, Doc O’Lena). In 2022, we purchased The Boon (5062087) (Peptoboonsmal – Boon San Kitty, by High Brow Cat) from the King Ranch to serve as our ranch herd sire.
Through the years Morris believed that a program based on the stability, conformation, ease of handling of foundation Quarter Horses coupled with the and athletic ability, quickness, stamina, and endurance of the Thoroughbred would bring about a horse that would be exceptionally competitive in cutting, reining and other western events.
This program worked and since the early 1980s has produced numerous (over 230) horses that have won over $3,256,734 in prize money in various western events and are the influence of many breeding programs throughout the country.
Fortunately for Billy & the Morris family his grandson William S. Morris V is intently interested in the Creek Plantation horse program, along with his brother and cousins, plans to carry the program forward.
Today the goals of the program are to –
1) Raise high-quality ranch horses from proven broodmares that consistently produce useful, conformationally correct, easy to handle equine partners that have the stamina and trainability to work for our family operation or for anyone’s business.
2) Maintain an excellent performance broodmare band that have a performance record and/or proven producers. These mares are bred to the elite performance horse sires and available in the marketplace.
3) Keep a core group of stallions with diverse, proven bloodlines that will be complement our mares to produce the ideal ranch and/or performance horse. These stallions include BOON TOO SUEN and CATTALOU, who both stand at the Four Sixes Ranch. As well as, THE BOON, who we recently purchased from the King Ranch, his frozen semen is offered through the Four Sixes Ranch but he will reside at Creek Plantation and pasture breed.
As we move into this new era we believe this tri-partite program of
Creek Plantation will continue to produce horses that are winners on the ranch and in the show ring. We are committed to excellence in breeding Quarter Horses.